Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
PHYSICS
VOLUME 28,
NUMBER
JANUARY,
1957
P. FEYNMAN
AND FRANK
ROBERT W. HELLWARTH,
A simple, rigorous geometrical representation for the Schrodinger equation is developed to describe
the behavior of an ensemble of two quantum-level, noninteracting systems which are under the influence
of a perturbation. In this case the Schrodinger equation may be written, after a suitable transformation,
in the form of the real three-dimensional vector equation dr/dt=(')Xr, where the components of the vector
r uniquely determine if; of a given system and the components of (,) represent the perturbation. When
magnetic interaction with a spin! system is under consideration, "r" space reduces to physical space. By
analogy the techniques developed for analyzing the magnetic resonance precession model can be adapted
for use in any two-level problems. The quantum-mechanical behavior of the state of a system under various
different conditions is easily visualized by simply observing how r varies under the action of different types
of (,). Such a picture can be used to advantage in analyzing various MASER-type devices such as amplifiers
and oscillators. In the two illustrative examples given (the beam-type MASER and radiation damping)
the application of the picture in determining the effect of the perturbing field on the molecules is shown
and its interpretation for use in the complex Maxwell's equations to determine the reaction of the molecules
back on the field is given.
INTRODUCTION
beam, such that the wave function for anyone individual system may be written
(1)
during some time of interest. 1/10 and I/Ib are the two
eigenstates of interest of the Hamiltonian for the
single system corresponding to the energies W +~o/2
and W -~o/2 respectively. W is the mean energy of
the two levels determined by velocities and internal
interactions which remain unchanged. W will be
taken as the zero of energy for each system. Wo is the
resonant angular frequency associated with a transition
between the two levels and is always taken positive.
It is usual to solve Schrodinger's equation with some
perturbation V for the complex coefficients aCt) and
bet), and from them calculate the physical properties
of the system. However, the mathematics is not always
transparent and the complex coefficients do not give
directly the values of real physical observables. Neither
is it sufficient to know only the real magnitudes of a
and b, i.e" the level populations and transition probabilities, when coherent processes are involved. We
propose instead to take advantage of the fact that the
phase of I/ICt) has no influence so that only three real
numbers are needed to completely specify I/I(t). We
construct three real functions (Tl,T2,T8) of a and b which
have direct physical meaning and which define a 3vector r whose time dependance is easily pictured:
Tl=ab*+ba*
T2=i(ab*-ba*)
(2)
fa=aa*-bb*.
FORMULATION
50
equation which gives
(3)
== (Vab+ V ba)/h
(5)
(6)
Ws=Wo
is the electric field strength in units of - 2jJ.ab/h.
In this case
(f..L)= a*bf..Lab+b*af..Lba= rl/J.ab.
(9)
WI
(11)
(')'/h)E x
W2= - ('Y/h)E1/;
(12)
G E 0 MET RIC A L
MAS E R
51
PRO B L EMS
FOR
(13)
wr= 1/21wII
WlI=O
W[[[=Wo-W.
+i(wwe/Q)Ee8+we2Ee8=O.
(14)
(15)
We
-W2[
8+ (4?rn/v )J.l.ab
L
j'O-l(rr+irIl)dz]
WI
(16)
52
/II
(imaglnory)
~
FIG. 2. Representation of "radiation damping" with the complex
Maxwell's equations represented on the I-II plane by the
hollow arrows. R= 1;iri , a=jV- i }1ab, P=total polarization (or
magnetization) .
(17)
nth 2(I-cosO)
nth=ft'Ov2/27rj2J.1.ab2L2Q and is the threshold number
per second required to sustain oscillation. fJ is the total
angle f!.L/v through which each r precesses about the
effective w.
Equation (17) gives fJ if n is known and thus the
spread of frequencies at which oscillation is possible.
To determine the magnitude of the electric field and
the frequency of oscillation for a particular We and
cavity Q consider the real part of Eq. (16).
This may be written as
wo-W
I-cosO
~---
(18)
HELLWARTH
Radiation Damping
To examine the spontaneous behavior of an ensemble
of dipoles in an arbitrary state (represented by an R)
and enclosed in some small portion of a microwave
cavity, we may write Maxwell's equations for the
cavity as before. When the ensemble is in thermal
equilibrium R is - IIlRo where Ro is given by the
number present and Boltzmann statistics. Assume
some other R state is obtained (this can be done by
applying a short intense rf pulse at WO) and R is left
tipped at an angle o to the III axis in the II, III plane
(RI=O). Further, we assume that the cavity is tuned
to the molecular resonant frequency so that in this
case w=wo=w e Figure 2 is drawn for this case. RlJ
=Ro sin is proportional to S from balancing imaginary
parts of the diagram. We must now assume that
dS!dt(wo/Q)S and (wr/wo)21 as we have replaced
time derivatives by i<.J only. Now dR/dt= wXR means
that d/ dtf'ooolsin. So the radiation damping obeys
d/dtf'ooolsin at resonance. The solution with constants
eval ua ted is
(19)
tan (/2) = tan(o/2)e tIT